Brooklyn (CNN) - The latest standoff over the nation's finances ended just last week, but President Barack Obama delivered an opening salvo on Friday for the next round of budget talks, poised to start on Capitol Hill.

In remarks at a technology high school in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, Obama gave an early indication of his insistence on spending projects in education, scientific research, and infrastructure, while swiping Republicans for their continued focus on cutting the nation's deficits.
"We need a budget that is responsible and is fiscally prudent, a budget that cuts what we don't need, cuts wasteful tax loopholes that don't create jobs, freeing up resources for things that will help us grow," Obama said.

"Don’t tell me we can afford to shut down the government and cost our economy billions ... but we can’t afford to invest in our kids," he added later.

The school Obama spoke at Friday - the Pathways in Technology Early College High School - was founded through a partnership with the city's school system and tech giant IBM in 2011. Students spend six years enrolled and emerge with an associate’s degree in applied science.

Obama, who lauded the school during this year's State of the Union address, allocated $300 million in his 2014 budget proposal to a program that encourages high schools to graduate students with college credit and skills that will help them nab jobs in expanding sectors like technology.

"This country should be doing everything in its power to give kids a chance to go to schools like this one," the president said, tying the immigrant history of the school's borough to the modern-day drive to join the middle class.

And he said the everyday math education offered at P-TECH could come in useful for some members of Congress.

Obama's call for greater resources in science-and-technology education came amid a high-profile technological embarrassment for his own administration - the glitch-prone website where Americans are supposed to be able to register for health care exchanges created under the Affordable Care Act.
Budget talks set to start

Nearly 30 lawmakers will convene next week to launch compulsory budget negotiations that were part of the deal ending this month's government shutdown. Republicans and Democrats, still at odds over spending levels and tax hikes, must agree on a long-term budget plan by December 13.

Before he left Washington Friday, Obama held a phone call on the upcoming budget negotiations with four leading Congressional Democrats, including the Senate Budget Chairman Patty Murray.

The outgoing mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, spoke briefly ahead of the President on Friday, and his likely successor, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, was in the audience.

The Democratic mayoral candidate is running well ahead of his Republican rival ahead of the early November vote. Obama formally endorsed de Blasio in September, after a bruising Democratic primary race that also included former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner.
Starts big fundraising swing

The President's remarks in Brooklyn came ahead of two high-dollar fundraising events in Manhattan, the kick-off of a month-long fundraising swing that will see Obama cross the nation in search of campaign cash for House and Senate Democrats a year in advance of the midterm elections.

On Friday, he was to raise money for House Democrats alongside Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Steve Israel, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, at a reception hosted by Kathryn Chenault, the wife of American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault. The event also features dinner at the home of major Democratic donors Dennis and Karen Mehiel.

Tickets for the event went for $16,200, according to an invitation obtained by CNN. A Democratic official said around 60 people were expected to attend.

Later, Obama was to attend an event benefiting the Democratic National Committee. Tickets for the second fundraiser cost as much as $32,400 and organizers anticipated around 20 people would attend, according to another Democratic official.

In total, Obama has nine fundraising events over the next month spread out across the country, including a stop in Boston next week, events in Dallas and Miami at the beginning of November, and a West Coast swing at the end of the month.

soundoff(49 Responses)

Dutch/Bad Newz, VA -aka- Take Back The House -aka- No Redemption Votes

Hello Brooklyn! Home sweet home. The President is hitting at all angles now from immigration to education. You know, those important things republicans have been obstructing. Whatever happened to those JOBS JOBS JOBS???

October 25, 2013 04:58 pm at 4:58 pm |

tom l

Hey! It's the Campaigner in Chief! He's so good at bringing sides together.

October 25, 2013 05:03 pm at 5:03 pm |

AnnoyedByPolitics

"Obama begins next budget battle with jabs at GOP"

Yup, a shining beacon of leadership and unity here. I wonder how long until the next 'My way or the highway' speech.

October 25, 2013 05:05 pm at 5:05 pm |

Jeff Brown in Jersey

Deficit reduction is a red herring. It's a lie that Republicans use whenever a Democrat is in the White House and they want to dismantle social programs. When a Republican is President, they spend like drunken sailors!

October 25, 2013 05:08 pm at 5:08 pm |

Tampa Tim

Ever notice that right wingnuts were more patient with BP during the gulf spill than they are for signing up for ACA?

October 25, 2013 05:19 pm at 5:19 pm |

Rick McDaniel

Anyone who doesn't yet see, that Obama and the Dems are on a quest of total dictatorship in America.........is absolutely blind.

No one in their right mind, should be voting Dem in 2014. Not even Dems. That would be a path to absolute dictatorship in America.

gee, obama wants to spend more, borrow more and tax more... this is news??? 17 trillion in debt is not a problem fo rhim when he criticized bush years ago when the debt wa shalf of what it is now.

obama and the democrats are the greatest danger to the country we have ever seen. we were warned to be watchful for the enemy inside the walls. well, they have arrived and they call themselves democrats/leftist/socialists/progressives/communists.

they won't be happy until they crash the entire country and steal all of its wealth.

October 25, 2013 05:27 pm at 5:27 pm |

Tampa Tim

Rick M – Keep up the crazy crap. Your rants help people see that there is no longer a Republican Party.

October 25, 2013 05:29 pm at 5:29 pm |

Jeff Brown in Jersey

@Rick McDaniel
Anyone who doesn't yet see, that Obama and the Dems are on a quest of total dictatorship in America.........is absolutely blind. No one in their right mind, should be voting Dem in 2014. Not even Dems. That would be a path to absolute dictatorship in America.

Now, now Rick... Take a nice Xanax and a warm glass of milk, turn off the Faux "News" and get some rest.

October 25, 2013 05:30 pm at 5:30 pm |

just sayin

How do I get Fox News to pay me to post crazy, right wing rants?

October 25, 2013 05:31 pm at 5:31 pm |

Tampa Tim

Today we learned from Rick that voter suppression is the true republican way to promote democracy. If every gets to vote we will get a dictatorship according the little bagger.

October 25, 2013 05:31 pm at 5:31 pm |

Ol' Yeller

@tom l

Hey! It's the Campaigner in Chief! He's so good at bringing sides together.

Towing that right wing line still, eh?
How is he not bringing the sides together by giving a speech to some young folks stating what he (and I, and many, many, American people... enough to get him elected... twice!) believes is the best path for America?
Because he didn't come out and spew your right wing talking points and agree to capitulate to the far right fringe which has made a fool out of your party and is on the cusp of fractioning it... he's the divider?
You folks are doing a fine job of dividing yourself without his help.

October 25, 2013 05:41 pm at 5:41 pm |

Getoverit

"Obama Begins Next Budget Battle With Jabs At GOP".
---------
Way to start it off, there, Mr. President. What better way to promote "working together"?

October 25, 2013 05:42 pm at 5:42 pm |

Just the FACTS Jack

Did you all know the federal government has spent $3.7 TRILLION on welfare payments over the last 5 years? that is FIVE TIMES as much as was spent on NASA, Education and Transportation.

Welfare payments have increased every year over the last 5 years Obama has been in the White House. We are begoming a welfare nation. Yes, he has fundamentally transformed us alright.

October 25, 2013 05:46 pm at 5:46 pm |

just asking

more smoke and mirrors to deflect from his signature disaster obamacare.... this clown has been nothing but 5 years of failure and lies. anybody that believes a single word that comes out of his mouth is totally insane. everything he said about obamacare has turned out to be a lie. the american people are finally getting it. it is scary so many are so slow and gullible though.

October 25, 2013 05:51 pm at 5:51 pm |

Scott

Once again our so called President is too busy fund raising instead of running this country. Not to mention that 3/4 of the world hates Obama, for his spying on foreign leaders. Of course that is what is expected from a socialist American hating President. Obama ranks up their with Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini. A sorry racist human being

October 25, 2013 06:03 pm at 6:03 pm |

simplefaith

Republicans will not have an excuse about not coming together to negotiate the budget. They spend all their time trying to make the President and the Democrats look bad. Why don't they show how good they can be in working WITH the Democrats instead of working against them. They just may do something good and the American people will vote for them.

October 25, 2013 06:05 pm at 6:05 pm |

sifto

jabs at GOP? maybe he should try another tactic–this one seems not to work for America–last time I checked, there were two parties in America...and Repubs are better with money and budgets...

October 25, 2013 06:51 pm at 6:51 pm |

Rachel

Of course he is going to continue to play the Blame Game. Thats all he can do because he such a failure. Now, he has Hairy Reid saying that the "rich" wants to pay more taxes. LOL These guys could not get anymore out of touch with the people.

October 25, 2013 07:47 pm at 7:47 pm |

Hal

Tampa Tim

Ever notice that right wingnuts were more patient with BP during the gulf spill than they are for signing up for ACA?
-----------------------------------------------
This 'right wingnut' would love to use the ACA exchanges (because the left wingnuts who voted this into law caused my insurance to be cancelled) but the site doesn't work and probably wont work until 2014. My guess is the gulf spill will have been fixed faster than the ACA website. Like to bet?

October 25, 2013 07:48 pm at 7:48 pm |

Liz the First

So glad to see him finally bringing it to those thugs! he's been way too nice for way too long. he's president because the majority of folks want things done his way. it's time the thugs realize that! Democratic economic policies and priorities are fiscally responsible and good for the people of this country. 'tax and spend' isn't an appropriate insult. it's WHAT GOVERNMENT DOES! the thugs are just 'borrow and spend and don't budget your biggest expenditures.' BushCo fought two wars off the books and the rethugs have the nerve to scream about how big the debt is??? hello! they created most of it.

October 25, 2013 08:10 pm at 8:10 pm |

John

Balance is good....invest in things that are job producing and synergistic and increase revenue from companies that export jobs......pretty simple stuff

October 25, 2013 08:14 pm at 8:14 pm |

Jimbo

What ever party affiliation if we don't turn this country around we are all doomed under Obama leadership will send us all to the poor house. how many times has he spoke out of both sides of his mouth any other body parts. You all might think is great pres. better take another look. Best to take the best ideas from both sides remeber you are not always right example 10 more dems voicing opinions on delaying the Obama health Care. Obama healthcare is a example of how special interests recieve a special treatment while the rest of us are being screwed this year. the special group gets screwed next year

October 25, 2013 08:27 pm at 8:27 pm |

Gunderson

Well, Lessee here.After 100 years of big Social Liberal, Oh Sorry, Progressive, Programs we are still living in the 1930's. Selling Snake Oil is a practice of the left. Now Obama thinks you are stupid and can't take care of yourself so you need the Liberal's to do it for you. Now all of you know, you are not capable of fending for yourself. P.T. Barnum was correct. Of course Liberal's, Uh Sorry Progressives all got their marching orders from Vaudville. WITH YOUR MONEY AND MY BRAINS, WE WILL GO PLACES. So far the only place we have gone is back to the 1930's. How many of you want to Re-Invent the Soviet Union ??